Germany: German Computer Games Award for VR Coaster and MackMedia

Recently, the German start-up company VR Coaster and MackMedia were honored with the German Computer Game Award (G.: “Deutscher Computerspielpreis”) for their innovative Virtual Reality (VR) technology and the related “Coastiality” app (c.f. EAP news from July 15^th, 2016). Since 2009, the prize is awarded annually in 13 different categories by the Bundesverband Interaktive Unterhaltungssoftware e.V. (E.: federal association for interactive entertainment software), G.A.M.E. Bundesverband der Entwickler von Computerspielen (E.: federal association of computer game developers) and the Federal Minister of Transport and Digital to promote the German games industry. In the “Best Innovation” category, VR Coaster and MackMedia received the award endowed with a prize money of 40,000 Euros. The expert jury considered criteria such as quality, innovative content, gaming fun and pedagogical and cultural aspiration. “Almost literally, the VR coaster system creates new dimensions,” stated the jury. Furthermore, the Coastiality app would be an impressive demonstration of German innovativeness with international relevance by combining a classic leisure park attraction with new technologies.

Michael Mack, CEO of MackMedia, is proud of the award: “The German Computer Game Award is the most important instrument to promote the German gaming industry and it is a great honor for us. Also, the award proofs that we are on the right track with our digital strategy, besides our stationary entertainment offer,” he said. Internationally, the Coastiality app also awakes growing interest – South Korea’s Lotte World agreed on a cooperation with MackMedia in 2016 to add VR Coaster’s technology and the app’s content to two of its stationary rides (c.f. EAP news from November 28^th, 2016).

In our latest EAP issue no. 3/17 we provide you, dear readers, with a comprehensive article on VR technology in the leisure industry. (eap)